The Joy of Teaching – Page 36 of 46

October 20, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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A Simple Art Activity to “Bring out the Picasso” in Your Students

In celebration of Pablo Picasso’s birthday anniversary on October 25, this post features a free Picasso-inspired art lesson – that can be used anytime of the year. Plus, the simple collage activity also works for students and teachers who may not be artistically inclined!

Download this free Picasso Musician Collage activity from Evan-Moor’s How to Teach Art to Children (grades 1–6).

This lesson introduces students to Pablo Picasso and his painting Three Musicians. Students re-create the feel of cubes in art by creating a collage of a musician from paper scraps using the art elements of color and texture. The activity includes everything you need to get started: directions, biography, materials list, and illustrations.

Other helpful information:

This Picasso site provides an image of Picasso’s Three Musicians, a biography, and quotes.
This Pinterest board provides more Picasso-inspired art ideas for elementary school.

Teacher-recommended books to read:

Picasso (Famous Artists), by Antony Mason

Picasso: Breaking the Rules of Art, by David Spence

Picasso and the Girl with a Ponytail, by Laurence Anholt

Picasso’s Trousers, by Nicholas Allan

When Pigasso Met Mootisse, by Nina Laden

Who Was Pablo Picasso? by True Kelly

Theresa Wooler has more than 10 years’ experience in K–6 classrooms as a parent volunteer and homeschool educator, has taught high school English, and is currently involved in education through Evan-Moor’s marketing communications team.

October 16, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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3 Easy Ways to Compare Fiction and Non-fiction Books

Teaching a child how to compare and contrast fiction and nonfiction can help them understand the differences between stories take them on a wonderous adventure and fact-driven stories, which can also be adventurous.

Comparing fiction and nonfiction books is also a great way to get your child thinking about books in a new way. Paired texts involve using fiction and nonfiction books with similar subject matter. After reading both, your child then moves to the activities part, which stimulates their thinking in new and fun ways.

Here are 3 activities that you can try with your child:

1) When reading fiction and nonfiction books on a similar topic, ask your child to look for things that are the same and different in the book. Record their responses using a Venn Diagram. Click here for a free Venn Diagram printable. Two of my favorite titles for this activity are the fiction book, Pumpkins, Pumpkins by Jeanne Titherington, and the nonfiction title, The Pumpkin Book by Gail Gibbons.

2) When reading 2 nonfiction books, teach your child how to take notes using a T-chart. This will allow them to compare the facts from each book. Here is a free printable for you.

3) While reading books, ask your child to be a detective to look for these clues:

Common Fiction Book Clues	Common Non-fiction Book Clues
Settings characters problem solution	table of contents glossary research facts photos or diagrams with labels index

Did YOU know (and I just learned this!)?
There are some fiction stories in the nonfiction section, such as Grimm’s Fairy Tales and Shakespeare’s work. Technically, all stories are assigned a Dewey Decimal number. Since there are so many fiction stories in the 800s nonfiction section, most libraries have a separate section for fiction books.

And a BONUS tip:
After reading a fiction book, ask your child if there is something in the story about which your child would like to know more. Then, use nonfiction books to do simple research!

How about a FREE resource? Click here for Evan-Moor’s downloadable sampler from Reading Paired Text for Grades 1-6! Reading Paired Text provides fun ready-made lessons including the stories and articles you need for the lessons and activities.

In this workbook, each study unit is based on 2 stories or articles. Within the units, the students are guided with specific activities to help them understand and compare the two different types of stories. There are also fun extension activities that can be done to include other subject areas as well! How great is that?

Learn more about Reading Paired Text on Evan-Moor’s website, or subscribe to TeacherFilebox.com to access these lessons and every Evan-Moor workbook!

Now we want to hear from you: What are your ideas for comparing fiction and nonfiction books? Please let us know in the comments section!

Amy Michaels is a certified teacher with 11 years of elementary classroom experience who is actively homeschooling her own children. Her mission is share the best teaching methods and resources with all homeschoolers. Amy supports parents through her podcasts, webinars, and online training for homeschoolers on her website http://www.thrivehomeschooling.com.

October 14, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Halloween Fun: Skeleton Art Project and Science Activities

This simple “Silly Skeleton” art project was one of my favorites to do with my class around Halloween time. It was easy to integrate into a science unit, and it includes a poem for reading fluency practice. Plus, the completed art projects made a festive bulletin board. As a result, when posted altogether, they created the effect of a wall of dancing skeletons!

First, I reproduced a skeleton pattern for each student, and then we completed the skeleton art project together in class. You will need a few art supplies: glue, scissors, hole punch, white paper, black construction paper, and orange construction paper for the frame. (For younger students, you can use colored pencils to draw the eyes instead of using a hole punch.)

Here’s the free downloadable activity: Silly Skeleton from Art for All Seasons.

Then, we would read and discuss the poem as a whole class for fluency practice. The poem can be glued to the front or back of the project. I would also make an extra copy of the poem for students to include in their journals or pronged poem books kept in their desks. This way, they could reread their growing collection of poems whenever they had a few extra minutes.

Next, I would extend the art project into a science unit on the skeleton. Here’s a sample science unit for grades 1–3 where students learn about the parts of a skeleton, name the bones, and complete simple experiments.

Last of all, remember to display the completed skeleton art projects in your classroom!

We’d love to see a photo of your silly skeletons! Please email photos to joyofteaching@evan-moor.com. We will display photos on our Halloween Pinterest board.

For more Halloween ideas, see Evan-Moor’s Art for All Seasons and these blog posts:

Educational Halloween Activities and Fun Classroom Ideas

Easy Hanging Spider Craft for Halloween

For lesson printables and other classroom ideas, subscribe to Evan-Moor’s free e-newsletter!

Marti Beeck enjoyed volunteering in her three children’s classrooms so deeply, that she returned to school to earn her CLAD teaching credential. For the next thirteen years, she worked as a classroom teacher in grades 1-3. Her experience as a primary classroom teacher, as well as adult school and intervention for elementary and high school, was inspired by her background in psychology and interest in brain-based learning. Marti currently works in the field of educational publishing as an editor.

October 8, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Academic Vocabulary: Giving Students an Academic Edge

Knowing academic vocabulary is essential for students to understand concepts across content areas and a reliable predictor of academic success! This post provides free sample lessons and tips for successfully teaching academic vocabulary. See below for free downloads from Evan-Moor’s Daily Academic Vocabulary (grades 2–6): Teacher overview – all levels Review these pages for research on vocabulary instruction, tips for successful vocabulary teaching, weekly walk-through, and tips on meeting the needs of English language learners. Sample unit – grade 2 Sample unit – grade 3 Sample unit – grade 4 Sample unit – grade 5 Sample unit – grade 6 Other ideas to extend vocabulary learning: Create a word wall

Add your academic vocabulary words for the day or week.
Students can brainstorm related words and add words using index cards or Post-it notes.

Use graphic organizers and drawings

Have students draw a picture or symbol or use graphic organizers, such as word maps, to represent the vocabulary word.

Create a vocabulary journal

Students should chart the words and their definitions as well as examples of each word to help them remember the words. They can do this using drawings, symbols, stories, or sentences.

Create a chant or song in small groups

Try this sample musical vocabulary lesson: “Music to Their Ears.”

Play vocabulary games

Headband guessing game: Write vocabulary words on construction-paper headbands. Students wear a headband (without seeing the word), and classmates provide clues and examples to help the student guess the word. You can also use a name tag sticker which can be placed on the student’s back.
Vocabulary Bingo game: Students place bingo chips on a square after hearing the word’s definition. (Free Bingo templates are available online.)

Read the research Daily Academic Vocabulary combines direct instruction with speaking, listening, reading, and writing activities that reflect Marzano’s strategic process for teaching vocabulary. For more information, see:

ASCD Educational Leadership article: Six Steps to Better Vocabulary Instruction
White paper: How Daily Academic Vocabulary Supports Vocabulary Development

Please share your ideas for teaching academic vocabulary in the comments section.

September 30, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Pack a Power Lunch

Your beginning-of-the-school-year exuberance about packing your child’s lunch may fizzle out if you have a picky eater.

If your child is a picky eater, enlist his or her help. Invite your child to pick one food from each of the four main food groups: one fruit, one vegetable, one protein-rich food, and one starchy or complex carbohydrate-rich food. Add a healthy “drink pick” and, for a special treat, a “fun pick.”

Here are six simple ways to incorporate these “picks” into your child’s lunch sack:

Fruit pick

Place a bowl full of fruit on your kitchen counter and let your child choose which one he or she will add to tomorrow’s lunch sack.

Vegetable pick

Ask your child which veggies she likes, or better yet, have her choose some of her favorites while at the grocery store. Kids prefer veggies (and fruit) cut into smaller pieces because they look less intimidating. Consider packing colorful, bite-sized vegetables with a small container of hummus, ranch dressing, or other low-fat dip, and your child is sure to start munching more.

Protein-rich pick

There are so many protein-rich food choices to choose from. Some of our favorites include tuna, peanut butter, low-fat string cheese, yogurt, and beans and lentils. Help your child find his favorites.

Complex carbohydrate-rich pick

The sandwich (or at least the bread it contains) is probably the quintessential packed-lunch complex carbohydrate–rich pick. Other examples of complex carbohydrate-rich picks include pasta or even cereal, a tortilla wrap, or veggie or bean soup.

Drink pick

Milk can often be purchased at school, while a fruit spritzer can be made at home (three parts juice to one part sparkling water) and toted to school in a thermos. Fruit drinks, however, are discouraged since they are nothing more than refined sugar.

Fun pick

Lunch is so much sweeter when your child opens his or her lunch box to find a fun surprise. Consider adding a love note, poem, joke, riddle, drawing, or brainteaser. Sports clips and comics are also a great addition to encourage reading in the younger age groups.

Nutrition nugget

Consider planning ahead—grocery shop, cut veggies and fruit, have a variety of sliced luncheon meats and/or cheeses on hand, keep an extra loaf of bread in the freezer for emergencies, collect a stash of fun riddles and jokes from books or online sources. You get the idea. A little pre-planning will pay huge dividends (in the form of a healthy lunch that your child will eat), especially on those hectic mornings when you’re dashing to get out the door.

Kathleen & Lorna
Co-authors of Eating for A’s

Lorna Williams, MPH, RD, and Kathleen Dunn, MPH, RD, are registered dietitians who have been collaborating on health and nutrition projects for over 20 years. Together, they launched EatingFor.com, a fun and educational website focusing on child and teen nutrition, and co-authored Eating for A’s: A month-by-month nutrition and lifestyle guide to help raise smarter kids.

September 24, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Estimation Station Ideas

Do you use an estimation station in your weekly learning opportunities?

I have to say that this is one of the most fun things for my children. Each Monday our estimation station showcases a container filled with something related to what we are learning. It is such a fun way to get your children THINKING and practicing real estimation skills.

So how does it work? Simply fill a container with like items, such as cotton balls or pretzels. Have each child record his or her estimation of the number of items in the container on a piece of paper (we like mini post-its). After each child has guessed, then we empty the container and count together to get an actual count.

The purpose is not to correctly guess the exact number, but rather to improve the child’s ability to guess a reasonable amount based on the size of both the items and the containers.

Some of my favorite things to put in our estimation station are:

Fall
Unifix cubes in fall colors
Leaves we have collected
Football-shaped erasers
Mini pumpkins or gourds

Winter
Cotton balls
Fake ice cubes
Unifix cubes in winter colors (blue and white for January; red, pink, and purple for February)

Spring
Gold coins for St. Patrick’s Day
Seeds or dry beans
Glass beads in spring colors
Cotton ball chicks
Plastic Easter eggs

Any time of the year:
Plastic toys (cars, dinosaurs, Legos)
Erasers (you can also showcase a theme, such as fruit-shaped erasers)
Pencils (unsharpened work best)
Rocks

BONUS learning activities after you have an exact count:

Compare the difference between your child’s estimate and the actual count
Ask your child to round to the nearest ten or hundred
Construct a graph of everyone’s guesses and the actual amount

What other ways can you use an estimation station with your children? Please share your ideas in the comments section!

September 18, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Classroom Activities That Celebrate Autumn

Autumn brings cooler temperatures, falling leaves, apples, and football! Get free lessons from Evan-Moor resources that feature symbols of the season, including apple art and cooking activities, an apple shape book, a football player drawing and writing activity, an apple math activity, and a science unit about why leaves change color in the fall. These classroom activities are perfect for September and October.

From My Farm to Your House: Art and Cooking Activities
This unit provides directions and patterns for making a paper apple that shows the interior of the fruit with seeds, plus how to turn apples into applesauce. Recipe included! From Early Childhood Thematic Series: All About the Farm
Grades PreK–K

Apple Shape Book
The unit includes reproducible forms in the shape of an apple, plus directions for students writing at three levels, a short poem about apples, and literature connections. From The Ultimate Shape Book
Grades K–2

Johnny Appleseed and Apples
Included in this activity are a minibook about Johnny Appleseed, a math activity about adding numbers of apples, and a four-part sequencing activity about making an apple pie. From Seasonal Activities
Grades 1–2

Why Do Leaves Change Color in the Fall?
This daily science unit presents five activities in which students learn how chlorophyll and photosynthesis help plants make food and that leaves change color as chlorophyll disappears in winter. From Daily Science
Grade 3

An Apple a Day Writing Prompt
Students taste an apple and write words or phrases that describe how the apple looks, smells, tastes, feels, and sounds. Then students are encouraged to use some of the words in a poem frame and create a poem about apples. From Giant Write Every Day
Grades 3–6

Football Player (Draw Then Write)
This creative drawing and writing unit provides simple steps for students to draw a football player and then write a paragraph or story. The unit includes story prompts on multiple levels of difficulty. From Draw…Then Write
Grades 3–6

Additional Writing Ideas
Use these story starters and titles from Giant Write Every Day to add an autumn flair to daily writing prompts.

Story starters:

The best thing about fall is…
Pretend you are a leaf on a tall tree. Describe what happens to you when autumn comes. Tell how you change and how you feel.
Think of some interesting ways to use colorful fall leaves.
One crisp fall morning, I decided to take a stroll in the woods. I had no way of knowing that…

Titles:

How Fall Got Its Name
How to Climb a Tree
Why Leaves Change Their Colors (invent a legend)
The Year the Leaves Turned Purple
In the Squirrel’s Nest

For more ideas, see these blogs: How Watching Football with Your Child Can Be Educational and Apple Taste Test.

What are your favorite classroom activities to celebrate the fall season? Please share!

September 11, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Apple Taste Test

There is one thing that comforts me while I grieve that summer is finally over, and it is a Honeycrisp apple. My mouth just is all kinds of happy when I taste that juicy, sweet, crisp bite.

Have you thought about doing a little apple taste test with your children this autumn? It is such a fun way to springboard so many learning activities!

To set up the taste test, simply choose at least 3 different apples to wash and slice for your children. Place each type of apple on a plate. Label each type of apple with a letter: Apple A, Apple B, Apple C.

Have the children close their eyes while you let them taste each of the apples separately. As they taste each apple, ask them to use describing words to tell about each apple.

After they have tasted all 3 apples, have them tell which is their favorite.

You don’t have to stop there. Here are some more ideas about how to turn that taste test into more learning opportunities:

Teach your children about adjectives and how to use a thesaurus. There are so many great describing words other than “good.”
Create a graph to show everyone’s favorite apple. If you are a homeschooler, then ask your family and friends which type of apple is their favorite to collect your data. You can make a graph of the responses.
Research where each type of apple is grown and why that climate is best for that type of apple.
Write a poem using all of the wonderful adjectives your children used to describe the apples.
Measure the circumference of each apple and compare.
Use the apples to teach about fractions. Cut them (carefully, please) to show 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8.
Read books about apples to learn about their growing season, life cycle, and tree care.

Now it is your turn. What is your favorite way to use apples to learn new skills? Please share your ideas in the comments section.

September 4, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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3 Easy Steps for Great Family Meals

With today’s hectic, over-scheduled lifestyles, the real challenge for most families is to make the family meal the rule rather than the exception. Here are three easy steps to help ensure your family enjoys some quality time around the table every week:

1. Aim for five family meals each week

Researchers recommend sitting down to an enjoyable family meal at least five times a week. That’s the number of occurrences found to have the most positive impact on a child’s health and well-being. Start tracking how many times your family eats together. If it’s less than five times each week, focus on adding one meal per week until you achieve this goal. If your family sits down to at least five family meals each week, congratulate yourself. You’re on track!

2. Plan to eat together

The most common barrier to family meals is busy or conflicting schedules, especially when parents have work schedules that allow little flexibility and kids have activities with strict attendance requirements. The solution is to treat family meals like any other important appointment. Find your calendar now, and schedule your family meals—remember, aim for at least five per week—to be sure you keep this important commitment.

3. Choose solutions that fit your schedule

If you can’t avoid scheduling sports practice, dance classes, or other activities for the kids during your typical dinner hour, plan a simple tailgate or bleacher dinner before practice. Remember, you don’t need to cook from scratch, dine at a fancy table, or eat from the good china. You just need to eat a healthy meal and enjoy each other’s company. If dinner is a challenge due to work schedules, consider scheduling regular family breakfasts to achieve your goal of at least five family meals each week. A Sunday morning family breakfast is an ideal, relaxing option. Get the kids involved. You may be surprised at their creative solutions.

Enjoy a great September!

Kathleen & Lorna
Co-authors of Eating for A’s

August 23, 2015
by Evan-Moor
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Recipes for Back-to-School: Two Ways to Make Lettuce Wraps

Evan-Moor employees have been sharing some of their favorite healthful recipes for busy school nights. Teera, in our Editorial department, shared two interesting takes on lettuce wraps! These recipes are quick to prepare and perfect for a healthy mid-week dinner.

Vegetable Lettuce Wraps

1 head iceberg lettuce
½ an onion, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, grated or pureed
2 Tbsp. fresh garlic, finely minced
2 cups mushrooms, chopped
1 cup shredded carrot
1 small can water chestnuts
2 celery stalks, finely minced
1 red bell pepper, finely minced
1 Tbsp. vegetable broth
2 tsp. hoisin
1 Tbsp. sesame oil (optional)
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. vinegar
red chili flakes (optional)
2 cups mung bean sprouts
scallions to taste, chopped
½ cup cashews or any other nut (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Rinse and separate lettuce leaves. Set aside to dry.
In a large pan over medium heat, sauté onion in the olive oil until soft.
Add ginger and garlic. Heat for 20 seconds.
Add mushrooms, carrots, water chestnuts, celery, bell pepper, and broth. Sauté for 5–10 minutes.
Stir in hoisin, sesame oil, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili flakes. Cook for another 5 minutes.
Stir in bean sprouts, scallions, and nuts. Then remove from heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon an individual serving of mixture onto a lettuce leaf. Fold lettuce leaf over mixture and enjoy!

Serves: 6

Raw Tacos

1 head iceberg lettuce
1 tomato, finely diced
1 cucumber, finely diced
1 red pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno, seeded, finely minced
2 Tbsp garlic, finely minced
½ bunch scallions, finely minced
½ cup walnuts or any other nut (optional)
a pinch red chili flakes
juice from 1 lemon or lime
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. cumin
2 Tbsp. chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Salsa or taco sauce (optional)

Rinse and separate lettuce leaves. Set aside to dry.
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Spoon an individual serving of mixture onto a lettuce leaf. Top with salsa or taco sauce if desired.
Fold lettuce leaf like a taco or lettuce wrap and enjoy!

Serves: 4